Many companies find fleet GPS tracking worth it for the problems it prevents. Since many of these issues can raise costs or make productive business impossible, the expenses associated with GPS tracking quickly become worth the outlay. Preventing some of these issues may seem obvious to anyone who has managed fleet vehicles for a while, but there are benefits that are not quite expected. Here are five problems prevented with fleet GPS tracking:

Poor communication: Customers like to be in the loop. If they are expecting a moving van, shipment or delivery, they want an approximate time. A four-hour delivery window is often not helpful, and if a delay goes beyond that time period, it can make customers uneasy. When you use GPS tracking, you can inform customers of a late arrival and give an approximate arrival time. If they ask, you can even let them know where the truck is located to further reassure them. Sometimes, drivers cannot call you because heavy traffic or road conditions make even hands-free calls unsafe. But you can help by checking in on them and alerting customers to delays from the comfort of your office.

Unauthorized use: You may hire good workers, but there may be one or two who misbehave. They may take a fleet vehicle to a day on the lake while claiming they were working, or spend all afternoon in the pub. Unauthorized use is not limited to workers. A friend or family member may use the car without permission. Tracking vehicles assures everyone is on their best behavior. A worker is more likely to report to sites on time, and friends and family are discouraged from using fleet vehicles because they know they have GPS. Unauthorized use raises costs of vehicle maintenance, insurance premiums and even legal fees. Reduce the possibility with GPS tracking.

Late shipments: Workers are more likely to assure shipments arrive on time if they know there is tracking. Without tracking, it is easy to report being on time even when there was a considerable delay. Some companies face issues where workers take an extra-long route so they can report more hours, although shipments arrive late. You can avoid these practices with GPS tracking.

Insurance claims: Fleet vehicles attract insurance claims through theft and accidents. GPS tracking reduces the effects of these events. If a vehicle is stolen, it is easy to track it down and recover it, as well as any assets. The circumstances of an accident may be verified through GPS information, including whether an employee was still conducting business or driving home. Many of these issues affect liability, and the GPS system offers vital information.

Over-reported hours: While this is less of a problem in today’s computer age, workers inflating their hours to enjoy a larger paycheck still occurs. A GPS system reveals whether a worker claimed hours during personal errands or took a long route so a job required more time. There are even attempts to claim a full day’s work, even though a worker never left home. GPS reveals these inconsistencies.